Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1887-08-12
THE NEW TAY BRIDGE.
Undou btedly the Greatest Railway
Bridge In the World.

/
Eeight years have not yet passed since the
world heard with horror that the great yiaduci
across the Tsy had been blown down by a
storm on the night OF Dec. 2s, aud passing
train full OF holiday makers plunged In the
black waters below. Yet with such energy
has the work of reparatlon been pushed for
ward that today the government inspection
OF the new bridge will commence; SO that thi'
great link In the railway communications OF
the north may In few weeks be completely
restored. The old bridge was begun In June,
| 1871, and completed on the 30lh OF August,
| 1877, though not opened until the 3lst oi
the following May; 30 that It stood for barely
eighteen months.
The vanished structure Is said to have cost
e350,0O0 This foct-apart from the disastrou,
loss OF life which its fall entaied, aud the
doubt as TO the possibility of constructing 3
stable viaduct across such on estuary might
well have discouraged the railway company
from persevering In their project Indeed
there were not wanting alsrmlsts who declar
ed that 10 re-erect the yaduct was simply
tempting Providence aud wasting the share
holders money-two sins for which IN north
Britain there is no room for repentance.
These prophets Of evil had, however, little
influence on the directors, for soon after Sil
Thomas Bouch, the unfortunate engineer Of
the fallen bridge, had died OF what wa,
virtually broken heart Mr.. Barlow was busy
on new plans for a new viaduet which were
duly. approved In May, 1881, aud the worn
sooh alterward begun. The Barlow bridge Is
on even more gigantic scale than its pre-
deccssor, though that was, roughly speaking,
about two miles long, and consisted of eighty.
four spans, some OF them ninety feet above
high-water mark. That the new bridge should
be more costly than the old one was, under
the circumstances, 10 be expected. and IN fact,
the expenditure is affirmed to be about double,
The work has been virtually completed fOt
some time past
More than month ago the principal official
Of the North British Railway company paid
visit TO Dundee for the purpose OF Inspecting The
vladuct, aud offices, and the sldings near the
station, as well Ms the connections nj the north
and south ends Of the bridge, and the stations
at East and West Newportall of which
form necessary parts OF this complete design
with "A view of determining what alterg
tions or improvements might be necessary IN
the structure before IL was opened to traffic.
At that time the operations were being hur-
ried on with the utmost energy The twelfth
large central span was rlsed to Its full height
soon after this visit, and for several weeks
past the thirteenth and last large girder has
been In position, with the rails laid, and thu
hallasting OF the permanent way eompiet
ed.
Tay bridge Is only one length In the line Of
northern travel. The Forth bridge, from
North to South Queensferry Is the second and
scarcely less important than the other. The
frst.named yiaduct Ia notable as the largest
bridge In the world. The second will have
the distinction OF being made of steel through
out its total length of $3.50 feet II Is at
present busily In progress, though delayed by
a strike OF the workmen, and when completed
may be regarded as one OF the greatest mar
wells OF engineering enterprise which Europr
can show. The Island OF lnchgarvIe, IN the
middle Of the arm of the sea VIII ch It crosses,
enables the bridge to be in four spans, only two
of which are over water. These two principal
spans are 100 feet, and the height above tho
sea of each Of these is 200 feet When this
elaborate vet simple vladuet is completed,
railway communication, almost In straight
line, will be completed from London tc
Aberdeen.